Softball Opens 2007 Season With Split at Kajikawa Classic

FULLERTON, CA -
The Cal State Fullerton softball team opened the 2007 regular season with a split of its opening day games at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz., defeating Texas Tech, 5-0, before falling to Wisconsin, 4-2.

The Titans are now 1-1 overall on the year and will meet Northwestern State and Western Michigan in day two action on Saturday (Feb. 10).

In the opener, Fullerton clubbed three home runs and rode the right arm of senior Candice Baker, who pitched a two-hit shutout as the Titans defeated the Red Raiders.

Juniors Jessica Doucette and Kiki Munoz each slugged solo home runs while junior Katie Gollhardt added a two-run home run to pace Fullerton's offense. The Titans added another run on a wild pitch as part of a three-run fifth inning.

Baker (1-0) allowed only two hits and struck out 10 in her season debut, facing just four batters over the minimum without allowing a runner past second base.

Doucette, in her first game as a Titan, led off the game with a home run on an 0-2 pitch and finished 2-for-3 on the day with a double. Munoz, who led off the second inning with a home run, also finished with two hits on the day.

In the nightcap, Wisconsin's Athena Vasquez snapped a 2-2 tie with a two-run bases-loaded double with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to help lift the Badgers to a 4-2 victory.

The winning runs came just a half inning after the Titans rallied to tie the game on a two-run single back up the middle by Wheeler to knot the game at 2-2.

A one-out error and a single by the Badgers in the sixth set the stage as Letty Olivarez drew a walk to load the bases and bring up Vasquez, who sent a 2-2 pitch from Doucette (0-1) into left center field for a double, scoring Alexis Garcia and Valyncia Raphael with the go-ahead scores.

Fullerton rallied to put the tying runs on base in the seventh as Doucette and Gollhardt drew walks, but Leah Vanevenhoven induced Ashley Van Boxmeer into a game-ending pop-up to escape the threat and earn the win.

Wisconsin jumped out to the early lead with an RBI single by Garcia in the fourth and a solo home run by Lynn Anderson in the fifth to make it 2-0.

The Badgers' defense also took away a Titan scoring opportunity in the fourth as Baker's would-be three-run home run was hauled in by centerfielder Sam Polito as she crashed through the portable fencing in centerfield.

Eden Brock was saddled with a no-decision for the Badgers, going 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on nine hits and four strikeouts. Vanevenhoven pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, giving up one hit and striking out one.

Doucette went the distance in the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out eight in her Titans' pitching debut. Fullerton left 10 runners on base, including one thrown out at the plate in the first inning and five left in scoring position.

Munoz was stellar at the plate, finishing 3-for-3 with a double, while Baker and Lupinetti each finished with two hits on the day.